Help with trying to capture 2005 YU55

[Ron]

If, the weather cooperates

If, I have all of the information correct, and the scope aimed right, and barring any other miss calculation, I hope to try for a shot of 2005 YU55.

I'm sure I won't be able to see it in my 8" scope and from the city lights, but I'm pretty sure my camera should be able to see it

These two pictures from my SNPP shows the Asteroid traveling across my camera's FOV in less than 4 minutes.





The FOV is approximately 37' x 26'

Does this look about right?  I have never tried to capture an asteroid before so anything can happen

Thanks,

Ron

[drclay]

I would need to know the exact TIME that you have this field selected as well as North, South, East, West designated on the charts.
NOTE that the best time will be AFTER about 02:00 U.T. on the evening of Nov 8 (9th U.T.); that is about 8 p.m. CST.....at that time the asteroid is moving NORTHEAST in your field of view at a rate of about 1 arc second per second of time; it will be 11th magnitude and your camera can easily capture it if you can shoot at f/5 or similar.

ALSO NOTE that this asteroid will still be dominant the following night (Nov. 9-10) at magnitude 12.5 and fading a bit through the night, in the western sky at dark....so Tuesday night is not the ONLY time you can spot it....Wed. evening works well too!

[Ron]

Thanks Dr. Clay

You have pretty much answered all of my questions in your replies.

My initial plan was for 8:00 pm EST on the 8th, but at the moment the sky conditions don't look too promising


This is the orbit and location for 8:00 pm EST on the 8th from SNPP

In looking at the ephemeris on the JPL site, there is quite a bit of discrepency on location as compared to my Starry Night program.

Will the ephemeris on the JPL site change from now to the 8th?

Thanks,

Ron

[drclay]

I would not use the JPL site, only the MPC site because it is updated sometimes hourly when an important NEO zips past us.
Use the ephemeris generator for EXACT positions (even though these will be off by Tuesday night) at:

http://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/MPEph/MPEph.html

[Ron]

Dr. Clay,

I used JPL because it is easier for me to use than the MPC site.  I seem to have trouble inputting the correct data on the MPC site to generate the ephemeris.

I know you have listed the daily ephemeris from the MPC, but how do you generate them for hourly?

Thanks,

Ron

[drclay]

Here are the firm orbital elements for entering into any PC or control program.  These are good through the next 24 hours and will result in a very small, if noticeable, offset during the next evening (November 8-9).

These were computed by Bill Gray of ProjectPluto:

Orbital elements:
2005 YU55
    Perihelion 2011 Sep 10.258959 TT =  6:12:54 (JD 2455814.758959)
Epoch 2011 Nov  9.0 TT = JDT 2455874.5   Earth MOID: 0.0010   Ve: 0.0003
M  47.53070              (2000.0)        Ma: 0.0367
n   0.79561227     Peri.  270.87649      0.62715112      0.77888427
a   1.15345785     Node    37.96499     -0.71164640      0.57537001
e   0.4325850      Incl.    0.42437     -0.31660837      0.24957692
P   1.24/452.47d   H   22.1           G   0.15
 From 766 observations 2005 Dec. 24-2010 Apr. 20; mean residual 0".437.

[Ron]

Thanks for all of your  help.

Sorry to say I didn't have any luck in finding Asteroid 2005 YU55, but might try again tonight.

Ron

[drclay]

This target will be about overhead (south of.....) about 10:30 p.m. local time and will be still at magnitude 12.5 and dimming as each minute goes by; so catch it early.  It is moving nearly due east in the constellation of Pisces tonight.  Good luck!